Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts issued a rare public rebuke of President Trump following the president’s call for the impeachment of a federal judge who blocked deportation flights involving Venezuelan gang members. The chief justice responded firmly, emphasizing the importance of judicial independence and the need to protect judges from political attacks.
Roberts’ statement came after Trump criticized U.S. District Judge Myrna Delgado for halting the administration’s effort to deport members of the Tren de Aragua gang back to Venezuela. The president accused the judge of overstepping her authority and suggested she should be removed from the bench for what he called an obstruction of his administration’s immigration crackdown.
The chief justice defended the judiciary, stating that judges must be allowed to rule based on their interpretation of the law without fear of retaliation or political pressure. He stressed that while disagreements with court rulings are expected, the proper avenue for addressing such concerns is through the appeals process, not impeachment threats.
The administration’s planned deportation flights remain temporarily blocked as the legal battle continues. Judge Delgado’s order cited humanitarian concerns and the need for further review of potential risks to deportees upon return to Venezuela. The Justice Department is expected to challenge the ruling in a higher court.
The rare clash between the executive branch and the Supreme Court leader underscores the growing tension over immigration policy and judicial authority. Despite Roberts’ intervention, President Trump doubled down on his stance, vowing to keep pressing for aggressive deportation measures.